MONROVIA -- African Petroleum has started drilling the Bee Eater-1 well in Block LB-09 offshore Liberia on with Ocean Rig’s semi-submersible rig, the Eirik Raude. The Bee Eater-1 well is located 9.5 km northwest of the 2012 Narina discovery which discovered high quality oil in Turonian reservoirs.

The Bee Eater - 1 well will test a potentially westerly extension of the Narina-1 Turonian oil discovery in an axial position of the fan for improved reservoir quality and is located up dip of the postulated Narina -1 OWC. Mean recoverable un-risked prospective resources for the Bee Eater/Narina fan system, which extends over an area of 300 sq km, are estimated as 840 MMstb and 2396 MMstb for the additional prospects identified on Blocks LB-08 & LB-09.

The second well in this drilling program will be drilled with the Eirik Raude after completion of the Bee Eater-1 well. A number of potential well locations in Blocks LB-08 & LB-09 are under consideration dependent on the outcome of the Bee Eater-1 well.

Extensive 3D seismic surveys have been acquired on the blocks in Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire with very encouraging results and are being evaluated to include in the forward drilling program. The company has planned an active exploration program in 2013 starting with the drilling of the high-potential Bee Eater prospect in Liberia LB- 09 and follow on drilling in Liberia plus Cote d’Ivoire and Gambia,Senegal coast.